An image capturing apparatus includes a solid-state image sensor, a support member for the sensor, and electrically conductive members. The conductive members are electrically connected to the sensor, attached to support member, and arranged in a direction along one side of the sensor. The sensor is configured to receive a power supply voltage via a first conductive member, receive a ground voltage via a second conductive member, and transmit a signal via a third conductive member. The first and second conductive members are located on one side in the direction with respect to the third conductive member. The conductive members do not include a conductive member configured to supply a power supply voltage or a ground voltage to the sensor on the other side of the direction with respect to the third conductive member.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. An image capturing apparatus comprising: a solid-state image sensor; a support substrate configured to support the solid-state image sensor; and a plurality of electrical conductors that are electrically connected to the solid-state image sensor, the plurality of electrical conductors being attached to the support substrate and arranged in a direction along one side of the solid-state image sensor, the plurality of electrical conductors including a first electrical conductor, a second electrical conductor, a third electrical conductor, and a fourth electrical conductor, wherein the solid-state image sensor is configured to receive a power supply voltage via the first electrical conductor, receive a ground voltage via the second electrical conductor, and to output an analog signal via the third electrical conductor, wherein the first electrical conductor, and the second electrical conductor are located on one side in the direction with respect to the third electrical conductor, and the plurality of electrical conductors that do not include an electrical conductor configured to supply a power supply voltage to the solid-state image sensor and that do not include an electrical conductor configured to supply a ground voltage to the solid-state image sensor are located on the other side in the direction with respect to the third electrical conductor, wherein the fourth electrical conductor is located nearer to the first electrical conductor than the third electrical conductor is, and wherein the solid-state image sensor is configured such that a reference signal that is used in signal processing in the solid-state image sensor is input via the fourth electrical conductor.
An image capturing device includes a solid-state image sensor mounted on a support substrate. Multiple electrical conductors (wires or pins) connect to the sensor along one side of it. These include: a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line. The power and ground lines are positioned on the same side of the signal output line, but the power and ground lines are on opposite sides of the reference signal line. The other side of the signal output line contains no power or ground connections. The reference signal line is closer to the power line than the signal output line is.
2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first electrical conductor and the third electrical conductor is greater than or equal to a distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, and wherein a distance between the second electrical conductor and the third electrical conductor is greater than or equal to the distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the distance between the power supply line and the signal output line is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply line and the ground line. Also, the distance between the ground line and the signal output line is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply line and the ground line.
3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first electrical conductor and the third electrical conductor is greater than a distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, and wherein a distance between the second electrical conductor and the third electrical conductor is greater than the distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the distance between the power supply line and the signal output line is greater than the distance between the power supply line and the ground line. Also, the distance between the ground line and the signal output line is greater than the distance between the power supply line and the ground line.
4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrical conductors do not include an electrical conductor that is configured to output a signal and that is located at a location that is separated from the first electrical conductor by less than the distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, and wherein the plurality of electrical conductors do not include an electrical conductor that is configured to output a signal and that is located at a location that is separated from the second electrical conductor by less than the distance between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; no other signal output lines are closer to either the power supply line or the ground line than the distance between the power and ground lines themselves.
5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, among the electrical conductors that supply a power supply voltage to the solid-state image sensor, the first electrical conductor is arranged at a location that is separated from the third electrical conductor by the shortest distance.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the power supply line is the closest power supply connection to the signal output line, compared to any other power supply lines (if they exist).
6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, among the electrical conductors that supply a ground voltage to the solid-state image sensor, the second electrical conductor is arranged at a location that is separated from the third electrical conductor by the shortest distance.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the ground line is the closest ground connection to the signal output line, compared to any other ground lines (if they exist).
7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the solid-state image sensor includes a digital circuit that is electrically connected to at least one of the first electrical conductor or the second electrical conductor.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the sensor includes a digital circuit that is connected to either the power supply line or the ground line, or both.
8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the solid-state image sensor and the support substrate are parallel to each other.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the image sensor and the support substrate are parallel to each other.
9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the solid-state image sensor includes an AD conversion circuit configured to perform AD conversion by comparing the reference signal and an imaging signal.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected, and the image sensor and the support substrate are parallel to each other; the image sensor includes an analog-to-digital (AD) conversion circuit. This circuit converts the analog imaging signal to a digital signal by comparing it to the reference signal.
10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrical conductor includes a first bonding wire, the second electrical conductor includes a second bonding wire, the third electrical conductor includes a third bonding wire, the distance between the first bonding wire and the third bonding wire is greater than or equal to the distance between the first bonding wire and the second bonding wire, and the distance between the second bonding wire and the third bonding wire is greater than or equal to the distance between the first bonding wire and the second bonding wire.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the power supply connection is a bonding wire, the ground connection is a bonding wire, the signal output connection is a bonding wire. The distance between the power supply bonding wire and the signal output bonding wire is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply bonding wire and the ground bonding wire. Also, the distance between the ground bonding wire and the signal output bonding wire is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply bonding wire and the ground bonding wire.
11. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first electrical conductor includes a first pin, the second electrical conductor includes a second pin, the third electrical conductor includes a third pin, the distance between the first pin and the third pin is greater than or equal to the distance between the first pin and the second pin, and the distance between the second pin and the third pin is greater than or equal to the distance between the first pin and the second pin.
In the image capturing device where the conductors are arranged along one side of the solid-state image sensor, a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line are connected; the power supply connection is a pin, the ground connection is a pin, and the signal output connection is a pin. The distance between the power supply pin and the signal output pin is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply pin and the ground pin. Also, the distance between the ground pin and the signal output pin is greater than or equal to the distance between the power supply pin and the ground pin.
12. A camera comprising: the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and a signal processing unit configured to process a signal obtained by the image capturing apparatus.
A camera includes an image capturing device, including a solid-state image sensor mounted on a support substrate, where multiple electrical conductors (wires or pins) connect to the sensor along one side of it. These include: a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line. The power and ground lines are positioned on the same side of the signal output line, but the power and ground lines are on opposite sides of the reference signal line. The other side of the signal output line contains no power or ground connections. The reference signal line is closer to the power line than the signal output line is. The camera also has a signal processing unit to process the signal from the image capturing device.
13. A camera comprising: the image capturing apparatus according to claim 1 ; and a mounting board on which the image capturing apparatus is mounted.
A camera includes an image capturing device, including a solid-state image sensor mounted on a support substrate, where multiple electrical conductors (wires or pins) connect to the sensor along one side of it. These include: a power supply line, a ground line, a signal output line (for analog signal), and a reference signal input line. The power and ground lines are positioned on the same side of the signal output line, but the power and ground lines are on opposite sides of the reference signal line. The other side of the signal output line contains no power or ground connections. The reference signal line is closer to the power line than the signal output line is. The camera also includes a mounting board on which the image capturing device is mounted.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 3, 2014
April 25, 2017
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